Re-frozen food products taken off showcases in Azerbaijan

The sale of re-frozen foodstuff has been banned in Azerbaijan, the Cabinet of Ministers reported on April 14.

Based on the rules for providing commercial, residential and other types of services approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, receiving of boneless meat by the catering facilities in the country has also been prohibited.

Besides, meat must be received by catering facilities based on veterinary certificates.

The rules provide that consumer demands for replacement of purchased goods must be met immediately. Meanwhile, in case of necessity, the quality of the goods must be checked within 14 days or a period agreed by the sides.

The rules also provide that the labels and other relevant inscriptions on all goods must be in Azerbaijani language.

The rules also adjusted a procedure for organizing the activity of the food markets in the country.

The rules detailed information on prohibited goods, the list and the cost of services, as well as the location of the administration of the market and the state veterinary and phytosanitary services at the entrance to the market.

In addition, managers (owners) of the markets must provide the location of trade rows in accordance with the standards of hygiene and fire safety and conditions for the free movement of buyers; to allocate special places for non-food sales.

Trade facilities must be equipped with special equipment in accordance with the requirements of sanitation, health, safety and other standards. The authorities of the markets should ensure sellers use price tags and freezers and other storage areas are provided with special conditions for storage.

Furthermore, the rules indicated that each market must be equipped with a special utilizing oven for destruction unfit products.

Under the rules, these actions are banned in the markets: sales of products not conforming to the requirements established by the legislation on quality and safety, sale of perishable goods in the absence of the necessary conditions for their storage, as well as the use of scales and other measuring devices which have not been sealed by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology, and Patents.